Zulen's Journey
by Neio Sevia
Summary: A tale of the adventures of Zulen. A boy who's mother was the strongest trainer in Sinnoh, but she died of unnatural causes. This chronicles his experiences on his way to become the strongest trainer in every region.
1. Beginnings

Chapter 1:

I walk through the forest slowly, walking towards the treeline. My Hitmonchan walks beside me with his slow strides. I use my hands to cover my eyes as we step out from the shade of the trees, blocking them from the full force of the light. I look out over the town I was born in and moved my hand down to my side. "It's time to start on our journey, Cesh." I say to my hitmonchan. He simply nodded and puffed his breath as we started to walk.

We walk along a path through a field of vibrant flowers. I walked slowly, taking in the scents. "It's certainly different from the forest." I chirped to Cesh as we walked. "Hit!" Cesh replied, with a happy tone. We walked into town and I tapped my hip. Cesh looked at me and I sighed, "Sorry buddy, but you have to go back into the ball until we go." Cesh just chimed and I set him back into the ball.

I looked around and spied the different buildings in the area. I figured it'd probably be best to stop at the Pokemon center to register for the Pokemon league, seeing as I want to challenge the strongest trainers. I started walking to the Pokemon center while looking around at all the faces going on with their lives. I reached the Center and the doors slid open quickly, causing the cool air from inside to breeze past my face. I stepped in and looked around, figuring that I could probably go on relatively smoothly.

I strolled my way up to the front desk and set my elbows on the counter. The woman working the front smelled lovely. She smelled more of roses than the outside does. "Welcome to the Pokemon center," she greeted with a light tone, "how may I help you?" I tapped my hands on the counter and spoke with a matching tone. "Ah, where would I go about getting a trainer card?" "Right here, sir." She replied.

I perked up and smiled, "Well can I get one?" I asked with an excited tone.

"Of course sir." She replied while nodding.

I bounced slightly as she pulled out a blank card.

"Let's get started." She said while aiming a camera at me.

I smiled and she took a picture, then set the card into a machine. "What's your name?" She asked.

"I"m Zulen Nev." I said with a happy tone.

"Alright Zulen," She said as she typed and the machine hummed quietly as it worked. "Here you are." She said as she pulled the card from the machine and handed it to me.

"Thank you," I said, trying to keep my excitment from showing. "Have a nice day." I spoke again as I turned and walked out.

I cheered happily as I stepped outside. People started to stare at me so I composed myself, but continued to cheer on the inside. After the initial excitment was over, I turned my attention to the Pokemon gym. " It's time to go." I whispered to myself as I began walking towards it. I walked inside and a blast of grass smell shot into my nose. I breathed out and I looked around the lobby, scanning the room to see where I can sign up to challenge the gym leader.

There was no one in the room, so I crossed my arms. "I want to challenge the gym leader, but I can't do that when no one is here." I said, disappointed. I turned around and started to walk out as a voice suddenly rung out. "You want to challenge me?" a woman's voice spoke. I stopped and turned around to see who it was. "I'm Gardenia, the gym leader."


	2. Zulen vs Gardenia

Chapter 2:

Gardenia, the Eterna city gym leader stood in front of me and I smiled with excitment. She placed her hands on her hips and spoke again. "Would you like to challenge me?" She said with a light tone. I tapped my hip as I walked towards her, "Yes, yes I do." I said with a large smile growing on my face. She smiled, then turned around and waved me to follow her. I started to walk after she did, following her into the battle hall.

I followed her until I got to my position and she walked over to hers near the far wall. "I'm the grass type gym leader, do you think you can beat me?" she said with a challenging tone. I smiled and tapped my hip, causing Cesh to come out of his pokeball. "I really wouldn't be here if I didn't think I couldn't beat you, now would I?" I replied with an equally challenging tone. She laughed and pulled a pokeball from her belt, then threw it up into the air. "Go Cherubi!" She yelled as cherubi came from it's pokeball and landed in front of her.

Gardenia wasted no time in choosing an attack for Cherubi. "Use magic leaf!" She yelled to her pokemon. "Cesh, move in!" I commanded as I saw Cherubi start it's attack. Cherubi launched it's leaves at Cesh, but Cesh evaded them and dashed toward Cherubi. "Use Fire punch!" I bellowed, getting more excited. Cesh's fist turned to fire as he dashed towards the Cherubi. "Get out of there, Cherubi!" Gardenia shouted as she watched my hitmonchan draw closer. Cherubi jumped high into the air, but Cesh followed her up. "Now!" I commanded as Cesh lined up with Cherubi. Cesh twisted his body and slammed his fist into Cherubi's side, causing a loud impact sound to ring out.

Cherubi flew to the side and slammed into the nearby wall with a loud thud, then fell to the ground and stopped moving. "Looks like Cherubi is unable to battle anymore." I said with a slight chuckle. Gardenia returned Cherubi with a silent praise and looked at me with more fire in her eyes. "You're stronger than I thought," she said with an enthusiastic tone. "I won't hold back!"

"Give me all you got!" I replied with excitedly.

"Prepare yourself!" She said as she threw out her Turtwig. Cesh got into a battle stance and I smiled.

"Cesh, go all out!" I yelled. Cesh responded by dashing in towards turtwig. "Use tackle!" Gardenia commanded to turtwig. Turtwig and Cesh charged each other swiftly. Turtwig jumps into his tackle, but Cesh steps to the side and hits him with a simple left hook. Turtwig spins and slides against the ground, then gets up and faces Cesh. "Use leaf storm!" Gardenia yelled. With a quick movement, turtwig launches his leaves at Cesh.

Cesh starts to move around, trying to dodge. As he dodges, a leaf zooms past him and slashes his arm, causing him to bleed slightly. Cesh winces and then dashes in with an aggressive look on face. Cesh stops in front of turtwig and glares at him, then hits him with a fire punch. Turtwig launches a few feet to the side and skids to a stop. "Turtwig, come back." Gardenia says quietly.

I called Cesh over to me and I looked at his arm. "The cut isn't too bad," I say, examining his arm. "You'll be fine, but just finish her last pokemon quickly." Cesh nodded and I patted his shoulder, then he turned back to the battlefield and got into position. "I'm ready when you are!" I yell over to Gardenia, who's getting her last pokemon out. She called out her Roserade, and looked at me with a passionate gaze. "You won't win this!" She says loudly. "We'll see about that." I say as the battle is about to get started.

Cesh moved out to start attacking the roserade, but Gardenia stepped in with a command. "Roserade, use weather ball!" She shouted Roserade charged the ball, and then shot it towards Cesh. "Move!" I say commandingly to Cesh. Cesh tries to step to the side, but the weather ball crashes into him. Cesh flies back and crashes into the wall, then slumps forward with an eye closed. "Get your guard up, Cesh!" I say loudly, so he can hear me. Cesh puts his hands up to cover his face and stands back up. He looked like he wanted revenge. "Cesh, get in there and waste roserade with a fire punch!" Cesh nodded and charged in faster than he moved the whole battle.

Both roserade and Gardenia looked shocked as Cesh charged in. It really seems like they didn't think we'd bounce back from that. Cesh dashed in front of roserade and hit her with a fire punch, sending her flying back. Roserade crashed into the wall and suddenly burst into flame. Roserade screeched out in pain and collapsed while the flames grew hotter, then eventually set out. Gardenia ran to roserade and looked over her with teary eyes. "Roserade, are you okay?" She asked with a grim tone. Roserade made a small whimper and Gardenia sighed in relief. "I'm so happy you are," Gardenia said with tears now dripping down her face. "I'll get you to a pokemon center as soon as I can." She said as she pulled roserade back into her pokeball.


	3. Preparing for route 211

Chapter 3:

After the air of battle was lessened, I walked towards Gardenia. She stood up and looked at me with a smile as she wiped her tears. "You beat me fair and square." She said as she pulled a small box from her back pocket. She reached out and I grabbed it gently from her. "This is your badge case." She said, like I didn't know what it was already. "Thank you." I replied gratefully. I opened the box and the Eterna city gym badge was inside. I smiled with a wide grin and stared at the badge.

"Since this is your first badge, I also want you to have this." She said as she pulled another object from her pocket. It was small and rectangular, like a pocket book. "This is a pokedex," she said. "It'll keep a record of all the pokemon you encounter." She continued, informingly. "That'd come in handy." I said, as I grabbed it from her and opened it up. The pokedex immediately began to register me, logging my name, my face, and the pokemon I use. "Neat." I said as I put the pokedex in my pocket.

Gardenia put her hand on my shoulder and smiled. "This is the start of your journey," She said, "Train hard and become the best you can be." I nodded with a wide smile on my face and turned around, then started to walk out. "Thank you!" I say happily as I walk out the door. I grow more excited at the idea of adventuring around to get stronger. It's finally time to start becoming the strongest and take over my mom's mantle.

"Oh!" I shout suddenly, "Cesh, return!" I tap my hip and Cesh gets brought back into his pokeball. I walked to the pokemon center and put Cesh's ball on the desk. The nurse took his ball and set it into the healing machine, then gave it back ten seconds later. I thank her and walk out, then I start heading to the pokemart. As I walk the street I saw kids younger than me having battles on the side streets and I smile. I'm happy they enjoy battling like I do.

I get to the pokemart and grabbed 15 pokeballs and three potions, then walked to the clerk. "For beating the gym leader, you'll get these free." The clerk said as she bagged my items for me. "Oh that's great!" I say happily. She hands me the bags and says the usual farewell, and I return it as I walk out. I step outside and crouch against the wall of the pokemart. I take out the pokeballs and potions, then put them into my satchel. I stand back up and start to walk the main road.

As I walk, I look at the map on my pokedex to try and decide where I should go next. After a lot of thinking, I finally decide on going to Veilstone, home of the water type gym. "Alright." I say audibly, for some reason. "Let's get to it!" My mind grew more excited as I walked out of the city limits and onto route 211.


	4. Ponyta

Chapter: 4

As I walk route 211, I start coming across patches of large grass. This grass tends to hide the little pokemon, so I should be cautious around here. It's not large enough to block my vision, but large enough to conceal the little pokemon. As I got out of the tall grass, I spotted a Ponyta drinking water from a small pond. I tapped my hip and crouched down, causing Cesh to emerge in a crouched position next to me.

Cesh looked at me and I put my hand on his shoulder, then pointed a finger to the Ponyta. Cesh looked at it and then back to me, and I put my finger up to my lips to signify the need to be quiet. Cesh nodded again and we slowly walked toward to the Ponyta. I waved my hand forward and Cesh nodded, then slowly stepped up behind it. "Now!" I yell, breaking the silence.

Cesh rushed toward the Ponyta as it turned around in surprise. "Use bullet punch with your right and then drain punch with your left!" I say with a fiery command. The ponyta flairs it's flaming mane as Cesh rushes towards it. The Ponyta rears back and starts coming back down for a stomp as Cesh stands in front of it, preparing to throw his attacks. Ponyta slams back down and Cesh moves out of the way. Ponyta stumbles to the side as he gets hit with an unexpected bullet punch to the side of the head.

Cesh slams his left drain punch into Ponyta as he makes it fall over. I reach into my satchel and pull out a pokeball. "Now's my chance!" I say as I rush over and tap the ponyta with my pokeball. As it gets sucked into the pokeball, I drop it and Cesh and I jump back with our guards up. The ball wiggled with small bursts. One shake, two shakes, three shakes. The ball suddenly stopped wiggling and a small light beams from the base of the ball.

I wait a few more seconds until I start walking towards the ball. I pick the ball up and admire it. "I actually caught it." quietly. I cheer and look at Cesh, who has a happy expression on his face. It seems he's happy about having another pokemon to befriend. I pull out my pokedex and look at the results it gathered. "So it's a female Ponyta." I say while scrolling through the pokedex. "I'll name her Pyralis." I say with a happy tone. I tap the ball and Pyralis comes out, and faces me.

I pulled out a spray potion and sprayed Pyralis. She neighed happily and I rubbed her nostril gently. "I'm sorry for surprising you like that," I said while looking at her. "I just figured you would dash off if I tried to get you without a surpise." Pyralis puffed and then neighed while rubbing against my hand. "Aw, so you do like me after all." I say happily.

I yawn and breathe deeply. "We should rest." I say to my two pokemon. They each give their response of agreement and we walk toward a tree with a lot of shade under it. I sit down against the tree and close my eyes. I hear Cesh and Pyralis come sit next to me, getting in some rest of their own.


	5. Just a trainer battle

Chapter 5:

After a little while of resting, I pulled both of my pokemon back into their balls and started walking the path to Mt. Cornet. I noticed a lot of trainers walking around, looking for people to battle. As I walk the path, a trainer approaches me. He was wearing a martial arts outfit and looked thirsty for battle. I stopped when he stood in front of me and I crossed my arms.

"Would you like to battle?" He said as he clutched one of his pokeballs tightly. "Sure," I said with a calm tone. "But before I battle you, tell me your name." He jumped back and threw out a Meditite before he spoke. "I'm Sean." He said as he and his pokemon posed. I stepped back and threw out my Hitmonchan. "It's good to meet you Sean." I said without telling him my name.

Sean wasted no time in attacking. "Meditite, use force palm!" He commanded. "Wait and use sky uppercut!" I said to Cesh as Meditite dashed for him. Cesh waited for to the Meditite to draw close, and surely it did. Meditite stopped in front of Cesh and launched his force palm, but Cesh slipped the attack and hit Meditite with a sky uppercut. The meditite flew up into the air and Seaned gave another command to Meditite. "Use high jump kick!"

The meditite immeditately recovered and flipped around, then started flying back down towards Cesh preparing his attack. "Cesh, get out of there!" I say as Meditite was a few feet away from him. Cesh evaded to the side and Meditite landed heavily on his knee. He thrashed around holding his knee and eventually fainted from the pain. Cesh jumped to my side and I tapped his shoulder. "Good job buddy," I say with a smile. "I'll let you rest now." Cesh nods and I tap my hip, sending him into his pokeball.

Sean returned his Meditite and threw out his Croagunk. "I won't lose!" He said, determined. I reached back and tapped Pyralis' pokeball and she was sent out. "I'll start this time!" I said. "Pyralis, use fire spin!" I say, with a commanding tone. Pyralis goes to work, setting the flames around Croagunk and spinning them. Croagunk looks around, and tries to escape, but gets caught in a pillar of fire.

Croagunk cries out as he gets burned, and falls onto his stomach. Pyralis neighs in triumph and Sean returns his pokemon. Sean calls out his his final pokemon, Machoke. Pyralis stepped back and flared her mane. "Let's get him, Pyralis." I say with an enthusiatic tone. "Machoke, get Ponyta with a karate chop!" Sean says, with a slight hint of deseperation. "Pyralis, move and use stomp!" As I speak, Pyralis dodges the karate chop and rears up, then stomps down on the Machoke. Pyralis steps off of him and walks back to me.

Sean growls slightly and calls back in his Machoke, then proceeds to run off back to Eterna city. After Sean ran away, I pulled Pyralis back and continued on my way to Mt. Cornet. I walked for an hour or so and reached the entrance to the cave system that leads to the next road. I tapped my hip and got Pyralis out. I figured since the cave would be dark, I'd just have her to light my way. We stepped slowly into the cave system, ready for whatever might come.


	6. A fight in Mt Cornet

Chapter 6:

I walked the caves of Mt. Cornet along Pyralis. As we walked, I checked around the floor and walls to see if people dropped any items inside the cave system that could be of use. We turned a corner and a swarm of Zubats blew past us. I covered my face with my arms and Pyralis used ember on some of them. After they pass I stand up and rub Pyralis' snout. "It's Alright." I say, calming her down.

We continue on our way and as I walk, I come across a small bottle of protein and a revive. Somebody must be missing these, I think as I set them in my bag and continue on. After an hour or so of uneventfulness, my progress is stopped by a group of Machop. I look around to see if there's a way to get past them, but I see no other exit than through them. "Alright, let's see how this works." I say as I approach the group.

As I approach the group of Machop, the form a wall so I can't get through. "Really?" I say as I just sigh. I tap my hip and Cesh lands in front of me. "Alright Cesh," I say with a more grim tone. "I don't know if they intend to kill us or just stop us, but get them." Cesh nods and I crack my knuckles. "That goes for you too, Pyralis." I say looking at her. Pyralis puffs flames from her nose and flares her mane.

"Alright, set it." I say as I step forward. Cesh nods and dashes into the line line of Machop as Pyralis uses ember. All the Machops charge and I look around at the fighting. A machop leaps at me from the side and I step back, then pivot and spinning kick the machop in the side of the head. The Machop spins around and slides, and charges at me again. It gets into a cross chop as it jumps up into the air and dives at me quickly. I set my guard and it crashes into me. I slide back and fall, then roll onto my feet. "Strong one aren't you?" I say as I set back into my stance. "How would you like to be on my team?" The Machop looks at me, like he's asking me to prove my strength.

I nod and we charge each other. Machop ducked down and spun into a low kick. I raised my leg and slammed it into his face. Machop grabbed my leg tightly and I tried to pull away. He twisted his body and threw me into a wall. I slammed into it and I slumped down. I cough up a bit of blood and I fall to a knee. The Machop walks over and I stand up, then wipe my mouth. "You're a tough cookie." I say as I walk towards the machop. "You're not even tired yet, are you?" The Machop shakes his head and raises it's fists.

I look over to see how Cesh and Pyralis are doing. Cesh is handling himself well, he already defeated two of the three attacking him. I see Pyralis kick a machop with it's hind legs, causing the Machop to fly back and faint. "That leaves this Machop and two others." I say quietly to myself as me and the Machop fight. The Machop jumps up and starts throwing kicks at me, so I start deflecting them. I grab his leg and slam him down, then kick him in the side, sending him sliding a few feet away.

I take out a pokeball and leap at the grounded Machop, tapping it with the ball. It gets sucked in and I hold the ball. It shakes in my hand and I look at it moving, hoping for it to stop and capture him. The ball stops and the light shoots out, making me smile wide. "Yes, I caught him!" I say excitedly. Cesh and Pyralis walk toward me with bruised bodies. I take out the last two vials of potion I have and spray one on each of them.

I take thank both of them and pull them back into their balls, then walk toward and out of the exit. I cover my eyes as the darkness of the cave is replaced by the brightness of the outdoors. I look around and breathe in deep, embracing the freedom of the outside. I start to walk to the next town, with a new pokemon on my belt and more experience in battle.


End file.
